Playing Card Tray Assembly

ABSTRACT

A playing card tray assembly for separating a pair of decks of playing cards includes a card cradle that has a pair of sloped surfaces that is each opposed with respect to each other to support respective one of a pair of decks of playing cards. The card cradle has a partition extending between the pair of sloped surfaces to separate the decks of playing cards from each other.

(B) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

(C) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

(D) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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(E) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM.

Not Applicable

(F) STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

(G) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to playing card devices and more particularly pertains to a new playing card device for separating a pair of decks of playing cards. The device includes a card cradle which has a pair of sloped surfaces upon which a pair of deck of cards can be positioned. The device includes a partition extending upwardly from the card cradle for separating the decks of cards.

Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 And 1.98

The prior art relates to playing card devices including a card deck holder which has a pair of slots for holding a pair of decks of cards in a vertical orientation. The prior art discloses a card holder which has a pair of holding areas for holding a pair of decks of cards and a plurality of protrusions surrounding the holding areas for retaining the decks of cards in the holding areas. The prior art discloses a card holder which has a plurality of holding areas being staggered on a panel. The prior art discloses a card caddy which has a holding area surrounded by a plurality of walls. The prior art discloses a variety of card holders which has a horizontally planar holding area for a deck of cards and walls surrounding the horizontally planar holding area.

(H) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a card cradle that has a pair of sloped surfaces that is each opposed with respect to each other to support respective one of a pair of decks of playing cards. The card cradle has a partition extending between the pair of sloped surfaces to separate the decks of playing cards from each other.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

(I) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a playing card tray assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

(J) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new playing card device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6 , the playing card tray assembly 10 generally comprises a card cradle 12 that has a pair of sloped surfaces 14 each being opposed with respect to each other. Each of the sloped surfaces 14 can support respective one of a pair of decks of playing cards 16. The decks of playing cards 16 may be poker cards, pinochle cards or any other type of playing cards. The card cradle 12 has a partition 18 extending between the pair of sloped surfaces 14 to separate the decks of playing cards 16 from each other.

The card cradle 12 comprises a base panel 20 that has a top surface 22, a bottom surface 24 and a perimeter edge 26 extending between the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 24, and the perimeter edge 26 has a first lateral side 28 and a second lateral side 30. The base panel 20 has a central portion 32 extending between a pair of angled portions 34, and the central portion 32 has a front threshold 36 and a back threshold 38. Each of the front threshold 36 and the back threshold 38 extends between the first lateral side 28 and the second lateral side 30. Additionally, each of the angled portions 34 extends away from a respective one of the front threshold 36 and the back threshold 38 such that each of the angled portions 34 defines a respective one of the sloped surface 14. Each of the angled portions 34 angles upwardly from the respective front threshold 36 and the back threshold 38, and each of the angled portions 34 has a distal edge 40 with respect to the central portion 32.

The partition 18 has a lower edge 42 that is bonded to the top surface 22 of the base panel 20 corresponding to the central portion 32. The partition 18 extends between the first lateral side 28 and the second lateral side 30 of the perimeter edge 26. Furthermore, the partition 18 is centrally positioned between the front threshold 36 and the back threshold 38. The card cradle 12 includes a pair of side panels 44 that each has a first end 46, a second end 48 and a first surface 50 extending between the first end 46 and the second end 48. Each of the side panels 44 has a bottom edge 52 extending between the first end 46 and the second end 48, and each of the side panels 44 is elongated between the first end 46 and the second end 48.

The first surface 50 of each of the side panels 44 is bonded to a respective one of the first lateral side 28 and the second lateral side 30 of the perimeter edge 26 of the panel. Additionally, each of the first end 46 and the second end 48 of each of the side panels 44 is aligned with the distal edge of a respective one of the angled portions 34 of the base panel 20. The bottom edge 52 of each of the side panels 44 lies on a plane that is aligned with the bottom surface 24 of the base panel 20 corresponding to the central portion 32 of the base panel 20.

A plurality of pads 54 is provided and each of the pads 54 is coupled to the bottom edge 52 of a respective one of the side panels 44. Each of the pads 54 rests on a support surface 56 upon which the card cradle 12 is positioned. Each of the pads 54 is positioned adjacent to a respective one of the first end 46 and the second end 48 of the respective side panel 44. Additionally, each of the pads 54 is comprised of a textile material, including but not being limited to, felt such that the pads 54 can slide along the support surface 56. The support surface 56 may be a table top or other horizontal support surface.

In use, the card cradle 12 is positioned at a desired location on the support surface 56 and each of the decks of playing cards 16 is positioned on a respective one of said angled portions 34 of the card cradle 12. Furthermore, one of the decks of cards 16 is oriented face up and one of the decks of cards 16 is oriented face down. In this way a card can be drawn from the deck of cards 16 that is oriented face up and a card can be discarded on the deck of cards 16 that is oriented face down. Furthermore, the decks of cards 16 can be oriented in any conceivable orientation to best facilitate rules of game play for any chosen card game.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

I claim:
 1. A playing card tray assembly for storing a pair of decks of playing cards, said assembly comprising: a card cradle having a pair of sloped surfaces each being opposed with respect to each other wherein each of said sloped surfaces is configured to support respective one of a pair of decks of playing cards, said card cradle having a partition extending between said pair of sloped surfaces wherein said partition is configured to separate the decks of playing cards from each other.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said card cradle comprises a base panel having a top surface, a bottom surface and a perimeter edge extending between said top surface and said bottom surface, said perimeter edge having a first lateral side and a second lateral side; said base panel having a central portion extending between a pair of angled portions, said central portion having a front threshold and a back threshold, each of said front threshold and said back threshold extending between said first lateral side and said second lateral side; and each of said angled portions extends away from a respective one of said front threshold and said back threshold, each of said angled portions angling upwardly from said respective front threshold and said back threshold such that each of the angled portions defines a respective one of the sloped surfaces, each of said angled portions having a distal edge with respect to said central portion.
 3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said partition has a lower edge, said lower edge being bonded to said top surface of said base panel corresponding to said central portion, said partition extending between said first lateral side and said second lateral side of said perimeter edge, said partition being centrally positioned between said front threshold and said back threshold.
 4. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein: said card cradle includes a pair of side panels, each of said side panels having a first end, a second end and a first surface extending between said first end and said second end, each of said side panels having a bottom edge extending between said first end and said second end, each of said side panels being elongated between said first end and said second end; said first surface of each of said side panels is bonded to a respective one of said first lateral side and said second lateral side of said perimeter edge of said panel, each of said first end and said second end of each of said side panels being aligned with said distal edge of a respective one of said angled portions of said base panel; and said bottom edge of each of said side panels lying on a plane being aligned with said bottom surface of said base panel corresponding to said central portion of said base panel.
 5. The assembly according to claim 4, further comprising a plurality of pads, each of said pads being coupled to said bottom edge of a respective one of said side panels wherein each of said pads is configured to rest on a support surface upon which said card cradle is positioned, each of said pads being positioned adjacent to a respective one of said first end and said second end of said respective side panel.
 6. A playing card tray assembly for storing a pair of decks of playing cards, said assembly comprising: a card cradle having a pair of sloped surfaces each being opposed with respect to each other wherein each of said sloped surfaces is configured to support respective one of a pair of decks of playing cards, said card cradle having a partition extending between said pair of sloped surfaces wherein said partition is configured to separate the decks of playing cards from each other, said card cradle comprising: a base panel having a top surface, a bottom surface and a perimeter edge extending between said top surface and said bottom surface, said perimeter edge having a first lateral side and a second lateral side, said base panel having a central portion extending between a pair of angled portions, said central portion having a front threshold and a back threshold, each of said front threshold and said back threshold extending between said first lateral side and said second lateral side, each of said angled portions extending away from a respective one of said front threshold and said back threshold such that each of the angled portions defines a respective one of the sloped surfaces, each of said angled portions angling upwardly from said respective front threshold and said back threshold, each of said angled portions having a distal edge with respect to said central portion; said partition having a lower edge, said lower edge being bonded to said top surface of said base panel corresponding to said central portion, said partition extending between said first lateral side and said second lateral side of said perimeter edge, said partition being centrally positioned between said front threshold and said back threshold; a pair of side panels, each of said side panels having a first end, a second end and a first surface extending between said first end and said second end, each of said side panels having a bottom edge extending between said first end and said second end, each of said side panels being elongated between said first end and said second end, said first surface of each of said side panels being bonded to a respective one of said first lateral side and said second lateral side of said perimeter edge of said panel, each of said first end and said second end of each of said side panels being aligned with said distal edge of a respective one of said angled portions of said base panel, said bottom edge of each of said side panels lying on a plane being aligned with said bottom surface of said base panel corresponding to said central portion of said base panel; and a plurality of pads, each of said pads being coupled to said bottom edge of a respective one of said side panels wherein each of said pads is configured to rest on a support surface upon which said card cradle is positioned, each of said pads being positioned adjacent to a respective one of said first end and said second end of said respective side panel. 